


Split Souls

by omegafett



Category: A Nightmare on Elm Street (Movies 1984-1994), Labyrinth (1986), Legend (1985)
Genre: Crossover, F/M, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:02:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25191370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omegafett/pseuds/omegafett
Summary: A Labyrinth, Legend, and Nightmare on Elm Street Crossover. There is a strange connection between Sarah, Nancy, and Lily. Can they help each other defeat their demons? Will Darkness win his battle over the world the world of Dreams? Does Jareth have the ability to Protect his Kingdom? A what will the wild card, Freddy, do?
Relationships: Darkness/Lily (Legend), Freddy Krueger/Nancy Thompson, Jareth/Sarah Williams
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

She was like any other girl when you looked at her, and for the most part, she was. Her head in the clouds, but was starting to feel that quickening sense of adulthood bearing down on her.

"Sarah," called a voice. It was her step-mother.

"I'm in here," she said and buried her head into her pillow. The last thing she needed was another talk. Couldn't they leave her alone? Her step-mother opened the door and stood rigid amid the frame.

"Sarah, I've been worried about you." She took a few steps into the bedroom. Sarah was curled up on her bed. "You've spent the whole weekend like this."

"I don't want to talk about it. I'm okay."

The step-mother took another step forward, but them shrugged her shoulders and walked out of the room. Sarah could hear her talking with her father downstairs. But she didn't care. She lost something, some part of herself in that labyrinth, and she needed to get it back.

"But Dad, you can't ground me!" Nancy was furious. She was just starting to make new friends, and they invited her out.

Sergeant Thompson's voice boomed out at her. "Not tonight Nancy."

She collasped on her bed and her voice turned low. "What did I do this time?"

She watched her dad, usually so controlled in any situation, start to crumble in front of her. "Nancy, I just don't think that they are good kids. One of them we had locked up due to possession." It was a good point, but his voice lost all of his power.

"You think if you keep me here, you can always protect me. Why don't you just lock me up in jail then? People hate me at school. They think that I'm crazy. And finally there are people who want to talk to me, and you take that away. You aren't going to being Mother back if you trap me."

She saw the tears swell up in his eyes at the mention of her mother. But she pushed that pain aside. "Nancy," his voice softer, "just stay tonight." He closed the door as he walked out of her room.

Nancy turned over and felt like crying on her pillow. He wasn't the only one hurt by Mother's death.

Lily paced around her palatial room. It was fit for the princess that she was, but it was not where her heart lies. She had not had the chance to go out into the forest for weeks. Her father forbade it for the time being. He felt it too dangerous after the world was half-dead. He was raising his armies, afraid that the Dark Lord will return to his power.

She gazed out her window, beyond the courtyard, beyond the heavy exterior walls, beyond the training grounds and saw the treetops. She pressed he hand against the glass as if that would get her closer to the wood.

"Jack," she whispered.

Sleep overtook them. In that twilight place they heard a shout. A cry full of pain and longing and for a moment they were so certain that sound was from themselves. Each of them stretched out to find that cry, that bitter wail of a childhood lost. All of them were surprised when they felt something grab back.

They tumbled onto a cold stone floor. Nancy was the first one on her feet. "Who are you?"

Sarah got up and helped the princess to her feet. "I'm Sarah Williams."

Nancy extended a hand out for a shake, "Nancy Thompson." Sarah took her hand and gave it a small shake.

Lily faced the two of them and curtsied. "And I am Princess Liliandra Dawn, but you may just call me Lily"

Each of them looked at the others and saw the similarities between them. All of them around the same age, All with dark brown hair, and all had that edge of pain in their eyes.

They looked around. It seemed like this place was half formed; stone walls and floors looked half formed and decayed. Jagged stumps of stone stood out of the ground and and parts were just floating in the air. "Where are we?" asked Lily

"Looks like the dream world" said Nancy.

Sarah scanned around, "No, I think I've been here before. This place looks like part of the realm of the Goblin King. Specifically, it's where I defeated him."

"I was going to say that's weird, but then where I've been hasn't been too sane," said Nancy. "This looks like the dream world. I had to fight a man who could kill you in a dream. He's gone, but he took a lot of people. A lot I cared about."

"Now another question, would be how did we get here?" Lily said.

"I felt you," said Nancy, "both of you before we came here. I reached out."

"I reached out too," said Sarah. They looked over to Lily "Did you?"

She nodded "Yes. Part of me feels like I should already know you."

Sarah looked around again. "Maybe we should find out where we are."

The three of them walked across the stone floor, careful around the steep edges so they wouldn't fall into the abyss below. Parts of the ground became uneven and they helped each other climb or jump to the next level. Finally after feeling that they were going to be stuck in this place forever, they came across a door.

It didn't have a knob or knocker, it was just a large black door.

Sarah pushed on it. "I don't think it's supposed to open."

Nancy looked around trying to find anything that might indicate how to open the door. Lily walked up to it and knocked. The door creaked open.

It was a grand throne room, but empty except for the man slouching on the throne. He was looking off in the distance and his hair was wild and spiky. He had was to his chin as if deep in thought.

He looked up at them, and his face brightened. "Sarah?" He stood up and opened his arms. "I knew you would come back. And you brought friends." He smiled. And bowed to all the girls Jareth bowed to all the girls. "Let me please introduce myself, I am Jareth, the Goblin King."

Lily's eyes went wide, "Goblins?"

"Don't worry about the goblins my dear." Just as he said that two white unicorn ran out from one part of his throne room to another. "Those two scared all my goblins away.


	2. Chapter 2

"Don't trust him," said Sarah.

Jareth approached her. Sarah felt his breath on her face, but didn't step back. He said to her, almost whispering, "And, Sarah, why shouldn't they trust me?"

"They shouldn't." Her eyes were defiant.

"Did I ever lie to you?" he asked, turning his back on her. "I'm not going to trick you're friends, Sarah. Something has happened here that is threatening my kingdom. I doubt that you girls can be such a threat, so I assume you are trapped here too."

Sarah wanted to yell at him, but resisted. She hated to admit but he had a point. She remembered her friends here, Hoggle and Ludo and Didymus, where were they? " If the Goblins are gone, where is everyone else?"

"All right, change the subject," he said. A crystal ball materialized in his hand. "Look for yourself. All of you."

The girls huddled around the crystal. Inside they saw the edges of the labyrinth crumbing away due to a large black cloud.

"What is that?" asked Nancy.

"Darkness," said Lily. She put her hands to her face, eyes wide. "No."

"This realm is pushing itself into mine," Jareth explained. "It's probably pushing itself onto others. I'm sure it's related to the reason that you three were brought here."

Nancy said, "We were brought here by our dreams."

Jareth's eyes lit. "That makes some sense. I'm very close to the dream world. I share some properties with it. If it was somehow in danger, or not able to receive dreamers, it would be possible that you would end up here."

"Is that how the unicorns ended up here?" asked Lily. "I didn't know that they dream."

Jareth shrugged. "It's possible." With a quick movement the crystal ball was whisked back into nothingness. "Sarah, to answer your question. I don't know where everyone else is. I've spied all around my kingdom and found no one." He sat down on his throne, leaned forward, elbows on his knees. It wasn't a kingly pose. Sarah would've found it funny if everything wasn't so serious. "You may think that I'm not a good man, and I may not be one, but my people are gone, and as their King I should've protected them."

"Lily," asked Nancy, "what do you know about this darkness?"

Tears started to fall from her face. "I have to get to Jack." Nancy patted Lily on her back, and pulled her into a hug.

"Ssshhhh. It's okay. We'll find him, but we need to know what you know," Nancy said.

Lily wiped the tears from her eyes. "Darkness. The Lord of Darkness. If the unicorns came here, he will come and try to find them. As long as they live, his power is not absolute."

Jareth tapped a finger to his lip in thought. "I think I remember this Darkness. He has goblins as well doesn't he?"

Lily nodded.

"Do you remember anything else about him? Anything that he's said or done?"

Lily tried block out most of her conversation with him following her capture. She remembered his deep voice growling at her to sit, him offering her jewels and the dress, she remembered his laugh as she tricked him.

"Dreams," she said. "Through dreams he influences mankind."

Nancy's eyes grew wide. "Dreams."

Darkness looked out upon the worlds falling before him. The unicorns will be found. They will no be able to hide much longer.

The other man in the shadows paced. Darkness knew he was waiting for a kill.

"They are not in your realm?" he asked the man in the shadows.

"Unicorns aren't really my style." he replied.

"Then you will search for them in the adjacent realms."

The man hissed. "I don't take orders."

Darkness smiled. He pointed his hand at him and made a fist. The man fell down, howling in agony. "Remember, my demons gave you the power over dreams. Don't make me decide to give their power to another." He let his fist drop and the pain stopped. "You are under my control. Don't ever forget that."

The man hissed at him then said, "I don't think I'll be strong enough. Those bitches you wanted didn't come to my world when I first called."

"You need souls?"

"Yes."

"Then I shall give you more. Look."

Beneath the high dais of Darkness's throne were many creatures in chains. Some were were tiny, ugly creatures and others were child-like and beautiful.

"Are they yours?" the man asked.

"No, they were stolen from other worlds. They will be your sacrifice."

With a motion, Darkness ordered them killed. His Goblins made swift work of the helpless, chained people.

"These souls will go to you!"

Blue shadows and shapes flew out of the bodies of the dead creatures below and into the man in the shadows. His breath shortened as they entered his body. It was a rush of power that he never felt before.

"Now go, dream demon," Darkness said.

He stepped forward. His horribly burned face twisted in an evil smirk. "You can call me Freddy, Boss."

A light buzzed around the sleeping Jack. It was just enough to wake him. He sleepily swatted at the light until recognition finally came to him.

"Oona," he said. "What do you want?"

"Need your help, Jack."

He rolled over on the soft grass. "Go get Gump if it's an emergency. If it's just you, leave me alone."

She transformed from the small Wil'o-the-wisp into a lithe fairy in front of his eyes. "That's the thing, Jack, Gump can't be found."

Jack sat up. This was a cause for alarm. "Can't be found?"

"No. half the fairies are just gone. No one's seen or heard of them. And ones that show up are telling horrible stories."

"Like what?"

"Nightmares come to life."

Jack got up and searched through a hollow in the tree roots. In a bag Lily made for him was his mail, his shield, and his sword and scabbard. "What about the unicorns? There's no snow."

"As far as we know, the Unicorns are safe. But their power can't fight this. They are carriers of light. They are not fighters."

Jack put on his armor, "No, I am their champion. I fight for them."

Hoggle was bound in chains. There were many creatures packed into the dungeons of this place. He got separated from Sir Didymus when they were shoved in these cells, and he hasn't saw Ludo at all. That gave him some hope that he didn't get captured.

He started pulling at his chains, checking for weak links. He tugged hard on the chain, and woke the prisoner next to him.

"Sorry," he said.

The other man shrugged. His was short like Hoggle, but he had a long, white beard.

"It's okay. I don't think sleeping would be the best for me." He pulled off his pointy hat and rubbed his head. "Name's Screwball."

"I"m Hoggle."

"I would say 'pleased to meet ya,' but under the circumstances..."

Hoggle just shrugged and kept testing the links. "If you got any plans to get out of here, now would be a good time to tell me about 'em."

Screwball shook his head, "If Gump were here, he's know what to do."

Honeythorn Gump woke up on rough stone. He checked himself and found that he still had his bow and quiver with him. That was one good thing. He also didn't see any cuts or bruises on him. That was another.

Unfortunately there were two very big things working against him.

The first was that he appeared to be in some kind of maze.

The second was the large black clouds looming in the sky and the sounds of deep laughter coming from it.

He ran through the rough walls of the maze around him, but had to make some distance between him and all of that darkness. Too many times he came to dead ends and had to double back, and he felt he was making too little headway.

He looked over his shoulder and that churning black cloud still loomed.

Not paying attention to what was right in front of him, Gump ran right into a furry, orange monster.

Gump dashed right up and nocked an arrow into his bow.

"No shoot Ludo!" the monster yelped holding his large claws in front of his face.

Gump hesitated. "What are you?"

"Ludo," the beast replied. "Ludo scared."

Gump put down his bow. "Do you know where this place is?"

Ludo shook his big head. "The castle would know, but Ludo forgot where it is."

Gump cautiously approached the beast and took one of his giant fingers into his hand. "Come on then. We have to get away from that cloud."

Sarah took a long look out of one of the windows in the throne room. "Is it just me, or do the clouds look like they're coming closer?"

Nancy looked. I don't know. To me it looks like it's..." She paused, transfixed at the dark cloud. A voice called to her.

"Nancy."

She stumbled, but didn't fall. Sarah grabbed her.

"Are you alright?"

"I don't know."

She heard the voice again. "Nancy. Bring your friends."

She fell. Even with Sarah holding her, she fell. Sarah shook her, but she wasn't moving.

Lily and Jareth ran over. "What's wrong?"

"Nancy's asleep."

Sarah now heard something. "Sarah, come in." She put her hand to her head. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear What?" said Jareth.

Lily put her hand to her head too. "A voice?"

Both of them staggered, trying to stay on their feet. "Lily...Sarah...come play with Freddy."

Jareth caught Sarah and then Lily and was able to gently to lay them on the ground. All three of them were fast asleep.

Jack and Oona travled to the king's castle. A guard tried to stop him.

"Where do you ya think that you're going?"

"I am Jack o' the Green. I am here to speak to the king. The war that he is preparing for is happening."


	3. Chapter 3

Nancy stirred. She felt around her. The ground was hard, metal and warm. "No," she whispered. "You're dead."

She looked around for Sarah and Lily, but she was alone. She knew if she didn't get to them soon, they were dead. She got up and looked for something to defend herself with. She saw a switchblade. Damn, it was Rod's. Now she knew exactly where he put her-his trophy room. She grabbed the blade and ran for a way out. No way was he going to keep her.

She examined every wall and every passage and as her fear deepened she discovered that there was no way out. She had to wait for Krueger to come to her.

Sarah woke. She was in a field of flowers with her princess dress on. All her memories were fuzzy. Did she fall asleep rehearsing? She honestly didn't know. She stood up and dusted herself off. Looking around she realized this wasn't the park, this was outside the Labyrinth. She saw the walls and the distant castle.

One of the fairies flitted about her head. She shooed it away but another one came around, and then another.

"Go away," she said. She felt a sharp pain on the neck and then another on her arm. Those pests were biting her.

She started to run from the swarm and tripped over her dress. She grabbed a rock and smashed one of them before it could bite, but there were so many around her. They were tearing holes in her dress and she was covered with small bloody bites.

"Hoggle! Didymus!"

She saw a man's silhouette in the distance. "Help me!" she yelled to him. "They'll kill me!"

He laughed and made a gesture with his hand. Sarah suddenly was falling. She crashed hard onto the ground. It was the oubliette.

Lily woke and screamed. She was back at Darkness' table dressed in her black bridal gown. She got up and ran, looking around the giant stone pillars of a way out.

She almost ran into him. He was horrid and burned. In her surprise, she tripped on her gown and lied prone at his feet.

"You are so tempting," he said. "But I'm not supposed to touch you." He took a menacing step forward. "I'm supposed to give you to him." He reached out to her with a terrible clawed hand. "I'm not sure how I'm supposed to resist."

Lily found her courage and slapped his claw away. She stood up and stared him down. "I am the bride of Darkness, and no one shall threaten me. Should I let him know who you are and let you face his wrath?"

The man grinned at her. "I see why he wants you. But I can always get what I want through your friends."

"My friends are not to be touched. That is an order from the queen."

He chuckled. "I got my orders. Maybe you can take it up with the king."

Lily saw a large shadow behind the man. It was tall and horned. "So you will be my queen," he said in his deep voice.

"On one condition," she said.

Darkness said, "what would that be, my love?"

"Don't hurt my friends."

He laughed a deep throaty roar. "I will keep my word, as well as you kept yours milady."

"No!" she yelled.

Darkness came forward and grabbed her arm, it made her feel strange. Like she stopped being real for just a moment. She saw that her surroundings were similar but that burned man was gone. Some goblins came and grabbed Lily from Darkness' arms.

"Take her to her bedroom," he ordered. "Make sure she stays there."

Jareth checked on each of the sleeping girls. For once he felt truly powerless. He's fought battles and fought sickness, but for once he felt that all his experience had failed him.

When Sarah started to get bloody sores over her body, it was all that he could do not to cry. He tried everything to wake her up. Nothing worked.

He truly felt helpless when Lily just vanished. Through her dreams she was stolen to another realm.

There was a pounding on the doors to the castle. He hoped it was some of his subjects, but it could be an invading army. Either way he was powerless. He went to open the doors and he saw that giant, rock-calling monster and a small boy.

"Let me make my acquaintance to you your highness." The boy bowed deeply. "I am Honeythorn Gump, at your service."


	4. Chapter 4

Sarah saw a small man hunched at the edge of the oubliette.

"Hoggle?"

The small man jumped, and turned to her. "Madam," he said bowing, "you startled me. I am Brown Tom."

"I'm Sarah," she replied.

"Seems like we're in trouble, my dear. I woke up and found myself in this pit. At least now I've got some company."

She sat next to him, "I'm not sure how good of company I'll be. I don't know how to get out of here."

He patted her on her hand. "If I know my friend Gump, he'll find us."

Sarah hated that in that moment, she lost all hope. She sat and curled her knees into her chest and started to weep.

Jack paced in a room. He hated these stone walls. How could anyone live so confined? Oona seemed at peace, sitting down on the floor, but she was a being that Jack couldn't read.

The King put him in here to wait. Jack told him of Darkness and the King has to send for his council.

A knock on the door and a messenger came in. "Mr. Jack, you are to come with me. "

"Where am I going?" she asked.

"To the men. The King had decreed that you will lead his army to war."

Hoggle broke a link the chain. He couldn't get him manacles off, but he could move now. He shook Screwball. "Hey, pull your chain off." Screwball did as he was told and pulled the broken chain through his cuffs.

They sneaked off finding a weak bar near the stone wall and squeezed through it. They were out of the cell, but they still had to find a way out of this prison.

"Halt!" they heard a voice yell at them. They didn't look back, but started to run. They were cut off at the pass by a goblin with a long nose. He had a spear aimed at them.

"Two prisoners got an itch; two prisoners caught by Blix" he said.

A piggish goblin ran up behind them. "I think we should make these two into dinner!"

The long-nosed gobblin turned and smiled. "An excellent idea, Pox."

Nancy was waiting in a corner with the switchblade ready. From here she could see every angle of this room. He couldn't sneak up on her.

She leaned back against the wall and it felt different, she turned and Freddy was there. She was leaning on his legs.

She hopped up, but Freddy was too fast. He grabbed her. She managed to stab him once, but he grabbed her wrist and banged her arm against the wall until she dropped it.

"Nancy," he said. "My sweet Nancy." He leaned in to try a force a kiss onto her.

She struggled but he was strong. His breath smelt of burnt flesh.

He parted from her and sighed, savoring that kiss. He brought up his claws and gently placed one talon at the collar of her shirt. He pulled and delicately started to cut the fabric.

"So what it your part in all of this?" asked Nancy. She was trying not to sound scared.

"I confuse the forces against Darkness, and I give him his Queen. You're my payment." He leaned in and kissed her neck.

"That's all, just me."

He whispered in her ear, "You're all I want."

"You're so much stronger now, and all you're getting is me?" She heard more fabric tear. "Please, I will stay here and do all that you wish, but you must do something for me first."

He stepped back and looked at her. "What?"

"I want to help you kill Darkness."


	5. Chapter 5

"Why would I want to kill him," asked Freddy, "when he gave me such power?" He grabbed her face and made her look at him. "He gave me you."

"But he's pulling your strings, isn't he. I bet you hate that."

She felt his other hand groping her chest and in one swift motion he ripped off her shirt. He leaned forward and she felt his filthy breath on her neck. "I think I can live with that."

"I'll fight you."

He gave a low chuckle. "I have you, willingly or unwillingly. I have too many souls powering me for you to ever get away."

Tears filled her eyes, and she struggled against him. But he was right. He was too strong for her to fight back.

Lily was trapped in the bedroom of the monster. Goblin guards were stationed at the doors to keep her inside. She paced the length of the huge room several times trying to think.

Were there others trapped here as well? If there were, could she help them? Could she get back to Jack? Were her friends Sarah and Nancy okay?

She heard the door open and all of those thoughts slipped away. Darkness entered and suddenly Lily felt more vulnerable than she had ever felt. She tried to hide it and stand tall, but her shaking hands betrayed her.

"My Queen," his voice was soft, almost loving. "It's perfectly normal to be nervous on your wedding night."

Her voice shook, "I've said no vows."

"You said that you were my queen. Was that another lie?" He stepped toward her. "I have never lied to you, and you think me the monster."

"You've killed. You've kidnapped. You've played games with other worlds." She stepped forward to meet him. "You are an animal."

He smiled and with a long black fingernail, he traced along her jawline.

"I am an animal, but I am more civilized than you take me. Why don't you tell me what you know, we can have a conversation. But if you refuse to be civilized back, then I will become the animal you think I am."

He sat on the bed. "Please sit and talk with me."

"About what?"

"Where are the Unicorns?"

"I wont tell you."

"SIT!" he sighed deeply. "And tell me about your friends."

What else was she supposed to do? She sat next to him. He put his hands around hers. And she hoped her conversation would be enough to keep him from taking her.

Jareth remembered the monster, but this Honeythorn Gump was a creature not from his kingdom.

"Please come in. I need my allies where I can get them."

"Do you know what happened here?" asked Gump.

Jareth filled him in on what her knew. Gump saw the two sleeping girls behind him. "Enchanted sleep?"

"Yes, but it's like nothing I've seen before. I've already lost one."

Gump raised an eyebrow at him. "How."

"The dreams made a link. I think Darkness took her." Jareth placed a hand on Sarah's head. "I need them to wake up. I don't want him to be able to take another."

Sarah started to stir. She reached out in front of her and woke. But to the surprise of everyone Brown Tom appeared next to her.

Gump smilled, "Brown Tom! How did this happen?"

"Did the dreams link them?" asked Jareth.

Brown Tom sighed. "I don't care how it happened. I'm glad to be out of that hole." he leaped up and ran to Gump.

Sarah rose and hugged Jareth. The Goblin King was surprised at her sudden affection but slowly embraced her back. "Sarah, what happened?"

"I don't know. I grabbed his hand and just woke up."

Nancy was stirring, moaning on the bed. Jareth put the pieces together and horror overcame his face. "Whatever pulled you in, is now too distracted to hold onto you."

Cuts and bites started to appear on Nancy's body. She seemed to be fighting, but Jareth knew she was losing. He saw her legs being forced apart. "Sarah, I don't think you should see this."

Ludo walked up to Sarah and took her hand. "Ludo here, Sarah."

"Go with him," said Jareth. "Gump, do you have any way to wake her?"

He approached her, "I will try."

Hoggle's and Screwball's manacles were replaced with tight rope. They were led through the dingy hallways into the huge kitchen. Hoggle was sure that there would be no way out.

The goblins pushed the two into a pantry. "Wait until the cook arrives. Then we'll have you sliced with knives." The goblin cackled as he left.

It was a few moments of absolute quiet until Screwball whispered, "I think they're gone."

Hoggle fumbled for one of the jewels on his belt and scraped the rope that bound them. Soon it was frayed enough to escape. They peeked out from the pantry doors to an empty kitchen.

"I know a way out," said Screwball. "How well can you climb?"

"Where are we going?"

"Up the chimney."

Hoggle looked around and up the immense chimney. "We gotta climb that before they make a fire."

"We should better start then." Screwball started the climb.

The armies of the King were ready. Jack never saw that many people ever. He didn't know how to lead them.

Oona stepped up to him. "They're ready. You need to say something to them."

His voice was low and unsure, but he started to speak. "I'm sorry if I'm not the leader you expected, but I have faced Darkness before. When we invade the Great Tree, do not trust your eyes, keep your soul pure and always rely on the friendships that you have made with your fellow soldiers. That is a bond he doesn't understand and cannot break."

His voice was stronger. "Darkness's power had come to a point that he can upset other worlds. We cannot allow him to gain anymore power. He must cut him down, but we cannot kill him. I killed him before and It only led him to become stronger. Remember, that light is his enemy. We will prevail over Darkness!"

The soldiers whooped, yelled and celebrated the speech. It was time to march.


	6. Chapter 6

Gump knelt over Nancy as she fought off the unseen attacker. He was much weaker being in this realm and he wasn't sure if he could even lift her from this sleep. He more he pulled at her the more resistance he felt.

"I can't pull her out. It's like fighting a vise."

Brown Tom waked over. "what if instead of trying to pull her out, you give her more dream energy?"

"Put her to sleep more?"

"If something is in there keeping her there, maybe if we gave her more dreams, she could try to fight him off. Give her the energy. It may be enough to give some slack to pull her out."

Gump smiled at Brown Tom, but soon turned toward Nancy. He concentrated on giving her dream energy, giving her strength. He wanted her to fight.

Nancy felt tug of being pulled away from this nightmare, but kept ending up back here, underneath Krueger. He scratched her inner thighs because she was resisting him trying to pry her legs apart. His stinking breath still in her face, panting on her with his efforts. She felt the tug pulling her away again, but she came to, and she was still underneath him. Nancy felt stronger this time and fought harder. He pushed him harder and harder. He grabbed her and cut along her arm

"NO, you are mine"

She punched him in the face and he recoiled off of her. She was able to get to her feet, ready to fight him more, but she vanished

…..

Nancy woke up and saw the Goblin King above her. Another fairy was there too. Another new face in this strange and horrible day.

She saw the state of her clothes and tears welled up in her eyes.

"He tried to…" but she couldn't say anymore.

Jareth ran from the room and came back with an armload of clothes. "I'm not sure what will fit you, Nancy, but please feel free to try anything. He rushed everyone out of the room and gave her privacy.

….

Jareth hated the feeling of being so helpless. He had allies around him now, so he counted who was here: Nancy and Sarah, girls, but both are very strong willed; This Gump fellow, with strong magic; Ludo the monster, this new fairy, Brown Tom and of course the Unicorns. This isn't an army, but it's a start.

Nancy appeared dressed in simple pants and a dark shirt. Her eyes were still bright with tears, but she held them.

"Feeling better, my dear?" He held his hand out to her and she took it.

"I'm glad to be out of there."

"Are you hurt?"

She lifted up her arm where the blood had started to congeal, but was very fresh. Brown Tom came to her, I can help you with that M'lady. He took off his hat and pulled out bandages, and salves. He found her a place to sit down so he could work.

Sarah asked, "So how do we get Lily back?"

Jareth put a finger to his chin, "I'm not sure yet."

…

Screwball and Hoggle made the difficult climb to the top of the chimney. Hoggle pulled himself up the last bit and then collapsed, breathing heavily. Screwball, looked worse for wear, but just took a few deep breaths and kept going.

"So where do we go from here?" Hoggle asked.

Screwball looked over the eaves of the Great Tree, and down into the swamp. "We have to go back down. But don't worry, down is a lot easier than up."

Hoggle moaned, but what else was he going to do? He picked himself up and followed the fairy scrambling down the strange branches and awkward rooflines of this horrid palace.

….

Darkness inched closer to Lily. She told him about the kingdom of Jareth, as little as she did know and how his realm was destroying it. Darkness listened, his eyes never leaving her.

"Whatever you are doing you must stop," she finally pled. "That realm deserves life."

Darkness smiled, and it made her skin crawl. "Lady, you think too much of me."

"What can I do to convince you?"

"If you care about life so much, allow me to put life into you."

Her mouth dropped open. "No."

"Think of it, an heir whose blood is from both light and darkness. A new life made from different forces."

"Will you take me, like an animal?"

"I cannot force such a combination; that would be Darkness begetting Darkness."

"You are still holding the power," she said. "Holding the lives of others in your hand until I agree."

A knock on the door. Darkness growled, "I ordered no one to disturb us."

Blix opened up the door and bowed deeply. "I'm sorry my Lord, but we have reports of an army coming our way."

Darkness stood. "We will continue this conversation, Princess," and he turned to the door. The door slammed closed and Lily found herself alone, but more determined than ever to get out.

…

Jack rode on horseback, while Oona now a glittering orb kept flying around him, up and down the tree line, bringing him back surveillance. The cavalry behind him stepped slowly, and the foot soldiers were farther behind.

"Oona, how much further?"

"We reach the swamp soon, Jack."

Jack had a low feeling in his belly. Too many deaths were ahead, and he wasn't sure if one of them would be his.


	7. Chapter 7

The goblin Blix peeked through a spyglass at the encroaching army. The men on horseback will never get through the swamp. There were only a few safe paths and only the goblin's small donkey steeds could navigate through. These men were hopeless.

Pox, at his side, bellowed in his ear, "What's out there?"

Blix hissed and put the spyglass away. "Men on the backs of horses." He spat over the balcony. "Men ready to come to the sources."

Pox squinted over the balcony. "How many?"

"Enough to cause trouble," he said, but didn't finish his rhyme. Something felt odd this time. A strange foreign feeling. Nothing he ever felt before. Was it Dread? Fear? Those he knew, this one….elusive.

He felt the Dark Lord's presence behind him, before hearing his deep voice, "Blix, report."

"These men and their kindreds, I would expect at least hundreds."

Darkness strode toward the edge of the balcony. This great tree stronghold kept him safe since blackness was the ruler of the light. Only once was it ever breached. And that's when he saw him. The boy, in that ridiculous gold scale-mail. He was leading the army?

Darkness smiled. "They are fools." he said. With his magic he reached and pulled at the edges of the great tree, to it's roots. He pulled and one by one, the roots of the tree speared out of the ground at the edge of the swamp, taking out horsemen and foot soldiers. And creating an impenetrable fence around The swamp.

"Let the swamp hags know that men might be trying to make their way through." Darkness ordered as he left the balcony.

The horse reared back and threw Jack off of him. It was chaos. He tried to calm his horse with it's language, but no avail. To much sudden death around him. Men impaled on great tree roots, screaming and bleeding. There were still many unscathed, that didn't make it to the edge of the swamp, but he had no idea what to do now.

His horse still too spooked, ran off into the forest, trampling a man that didn't get out of the way fast enough. Many men ran away too. Faced with such surprise their courage failed. Darkness still has the upper-hand. He can play on the fears of men and beasts.

"Oona!" he cried. She appeared, still as a will o' the wisp. "What do we do?" He asked.

She changed, becoming the lithe fairy once again. "Human hearts, so spineless, so weak."

Freddy paced in his boiler room. He had her in his grasp. He had her almost closer than that….

What the fuck happened. There was no way she could get away. He was supposed to be strong. Stronger than he'd ever been. He still felt the souls of beings that Darkness captured.

She was supposed to be his. His Nancy. He kept reaching out trying to get her to come back. He had no idea what happened. How could she slip away?

He could step into that other world, so close to his dreamscape. Talk about his payment again. He needed to let Darkness know that he's not a man to be fucked with.

He took a step and the floor changed from the cement floor of his boiler room to the cobblestone floor of the great hall. He was weaker here, but this is still close to the world of dreams. What powers does he still have?

He stretched out his arms and they kept going, ever reaching. The nightmare of never getting away from his reach was still there. He can still change his shape. To figure out a way to beat darkness he needs to find a weakness. He felt himself shrinking, becoming a red and green spider. Something small and unnoticeable. He skittered away toward noise. Maybe he can figure out a way to show Darkness that he wasn't someone to brush off. Everyone fears something. Everyone has nightmares. Maybe he can find was Darkness fears.

Hoggle and Screwball finally made it to the bottom of the great tree. Both were panting and tired with exhaustion. Hoggle just wanted to lay down and not have to worry about the next phase of this. He looked out into the vast swamp and just sighed.

"How do we get out?"

"What do you mean," said Screwball, "we walk."

Hoggle pointed at the jutting roots surrounding the swamp. "Around that?"

Screwball finally saw it. His mouth dropped and his legs weakened to the pint he fell back slightly. "That's wasn't there before."

The roots looked perilous with spinys and spikes and no easy way to climb.

The he saw it, the spine of a sea hag swimming toward him. Screwball knew fairies didn't taste well to them, but he had no idea what his new companion was.

"We gotta run, Hoggle."

Hoggle puffed, but saw finally saw it. He got up and ran after Screwball's lead.

Nancy was all patched up from Brown Tom. Jareth approached her. "Nancy, I'm glad that we have you back, but If you are able, I need any information you know about what happened to you."

He escorted her to a cozy sitting room. "We can sit alone, I know it's hard."

She sat, and looked into her hands. "His name is Freddy Krueger."

Jareth sat at another of the chairs and took one of her hand in his. "It's okay. I'll do everything in my power to keep him away from you."

She looked up at his mismatched eyes and a tear ran down her cheek. "He wants me because I beat him. He looks at me as this prize to hunt. He know he's better once he gets me."

"What is he?"

"A murderer." She lost her composer for a second, but found another bit of inner strength. "He was a child killer, and the parents of my town found him out. They burnt him alive, but he came back."

"He's a wraith," Jareth said. "Subsiding on the evil and pain he caused and endured. Maybe I can figure out a way to counteract him."

"He works in dreams. How do you fight that?"

Jareth smiled, "I also can influence dreams."


	8. Chapter 8

Lily was searching for a way out of the bedroom. The door was the only exit, but maybe she could find something to fight with. She picked up a few heavy candle sticks on the mantle, wondering if she could bludgeon him with it. She wasn’t sure if it was enough. He was huge. 

He wants me to have his child. 

Did he do all of this just to get me back here? Just to ask me to have this child? Her mind whirled. Why her?

Then a thought she didn’t want to acknowledge kept needling her. If you do it then you can stop everything

She pushed it out of her mind. She wished she knew what was happening with the other girls, with Jareth, and with Jack. 

Oh she didn’t want to think of Jack right now. She didn’t even know if he was lost to one of the other worlds, or if he was safe at all. 

You can save him

She saw a spider crawling on the mantle and gave a small shriek. This place would be infested. She froze as the spider grew and prepared to attack with the candlestick.

The spider split open as it grew, it guts spilling out and reforming. The exoskeleton melted into the carpet. She fled to the other side of the room, head buried behind her hands, until the horrible sight stopped. 

The creature was a man with odd clothes and one claw hand. He approached her slowly. “So the boss lied to me. Said I’d be too powerful for her to get away.”

He got closer to her, his claws close to her, She could smell his burnt flesh. 

“So since I can’t have my girl, I gotta take his. This isn’t anything personal, I just have to send him a message.”

He grabbed her, and they both disappeared from the bedchamber.

……... 

Nancy looked at Jareth, “How do you influence dreams?”

Sarah walked in the room and Jareth looked up at her. “I did it extensively with Sarah. she spoke to me through day dreams.”

“I was only playing,” she said.

“But that’s how I interact with the human world. Imagination, fantasies, and inner wishes. Don’t you remember the wish you made that brought you here in the first place?”

“You kidnapped my brother.” She said.

“But you wished me too.” he replied. “I hear the dark wishes as well as the good.”

“You only answered the dark wish,” Sarah said and grit her teeth.

“I don’t have the power to answer every wish, that one was within my power.” He stood and turned away from them. “Now is not the time to discuss the past.”

Nancy stood up and walked toward him, “How will day dreams help us?”

“ever thought about being a hero, of saving someone? I can only push those thoughts to the surface. Maybe make heroes out of cowards.” He looked out the window and saw the darkness move in over his realm. Magically several crystal spheres appeared in his hands. As he juggled them, Nancy could see thought and dreams inside them. One by one, he took them and blew them toward the darkness. 

……..

Hoggle and Screwball ran toward the wall of roots scrambling to climb them as the hags swam toward them. 

I wil o’ the wisp flew around them, “Oona?” said Screwball.

“Yes it’s me, step here.” he flew around a sturdy step. “Grab here.” she indicated a hold. She did this for both of them until they were over the wall. 

Jack ran up to them, “Screwball?” He looked at the other dwarf but didn’t recognize him. Screwball looked up at him, “Jack!” and gave the champion a hug. 

“This fellow here is Hoggle,” said Screwball, introducing him to them. “He helped he get out of there.”

“That’s the trouble,” said Jack, “we need to get in there.”

At that moment, bubbles swarmed around them. 

“Oona, are these wil o’ the wisps?” asked Jack.

“No. this is different magic,” she said. 

Hoggle backed away from the bubbles. He wasn’t sure what side of this that Jareth was on. But he knew that things most likely became more complicated. 

The bubbles swirled and danced in the air until they came to some of the soldiers, As they collided with the scared men, they became sturdier, stood stronger, looked braver. Jareth bespelled them from afar. 

Hoggle knew this much: Jareth needed people to fight Darkness. So he probably was in trouble from this. 

……..  
“Sorry I don’t have a fine bedroom to give you.” Freddy said to Lily. She was chained to a pipe in his boiler room. She couldn’t move much from this spot, so she sat, arms manacles above her. The heat was bearable, but she couldn’t squirm without risking burn from hot pipes. 

“He will destroy you.” she spat at him. 

He took a talon on his glove and pressed it against her cleavage and made one cut along the curve. She screamed as he did it. 

“He may destroy me, but I might get a chance to destroy you first.” He made a matching cut on the other side of her chest. This time she tried to looks brave but ending up whimpering. 

He squatted down so he was face to face with her. “Why are you so special to him?”

“Why is Nancy so special to you?”

He smiled at her. This was the one that got away from Darkness. Freddy snatched a kiss from her. She reeled back but could do nothing. “You taste like Nancy,” he inhaled next to her face, “and you smell like her too. Darkness will figure it out soon what happened. But the longer it takes him to get here, I may just take you in Nancy’s place.” He tore at the hem of her dress, exposing more of her legs. 

He kissed her again and she screamed in his mouth. He chuckled at her, “I’m not sure how long I can wait.”


End file.
